Loose leaf binder



June 14, 1938. F. D. WEDGE LOOSE LEAF BINDER 2 Sheets-Shee t 1 Filed Oct. 8, 1934 ATTORNEY.

June 14, 1938. F. D. WEDGE LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 8, 1954 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FAED 0. 1 1 5065 .4 TTO RNE Y.

Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE Jones Company, Chicago,

Massachusetts Application October 8,

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to a loose leaf binder of the channel back type adapted to hold one or more sheet retaining members.

It is an object of this invention to provide a channel back binder in which the sheet retaining member may be inserted into the channel member with a minimum of effort. It is a further object of this invention to provide a binder of this type wherein the sheet retaining unit is securely held against accidental displacement. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line II=-II;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the channel member and the sheet retaining structure of the binder;

Figure 4 is a perspective'view of a modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of one corner of the binder shown in Figure 4 with a portion of the 'cover broken away; and

Figure 6 is an exploded view of one of the channel members and the associated sheet retaining unit of the binder shown in Figure 4.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a back section to the opposite edges of which covers 3 and 4 are secured. A metal channel member 5 is secured to the back section in any suitable manner. In the preferred form,

member I5 by means of a plurality of rivets I. A

strip 8 of leather, fabric or other suitable material secured between the channel member 5 and the flat plate member 6 projects beyond the edges of the plate member and is secured to the back section 2 by means of stitching, indicated at 9 in Figure 1.

The side walls ID of the channel member 5 are recessed, as indicated at II, and each recess is provided with a tongue I2 projecting partially across the recess I I. The sheet retaining unit includes a pair of complementary somewhat resilient prong carrying bars I3. The bars I3 are duplicates, but are arranged in opposed relationship in the binder. Each bar I3 has secured thereto a plurality of prongs I4 upon which a plurality of sheets I5 may be impaled. Each bar I3 is apertured, as indicated at I6, Figure 3, to receive the end of the prongs I4 carried by the opposite bar. The prongs I4 are preferably the channel member is secured to a fiat plate 111., a corporation of 1934, Serial No. 747,259"

arched to enable the sheets I5 to lie substantially fiat when the binder is opened.

Each bar I3 has an upstanding flange I! to facilitate alignment of the sheets I5 with respect to the prongs. If desired, the sheets I5 may be in the form of a bound pamphlet insteadof being loose. The bars I3 are provided with a plurality of loops or straps I8 projecting therefrom. These loops may be integral with the bars, as shown in Figure 3, or may be formed separately and secured to the bars in any suitable manner. The loops I8 are narrow enough to be received in the recesses II beyond the projecting ends of the tongues I2. After the sheet retaining unit has been inserted into the channel member, a slight longitudinal movement causes the tongues I2 to engage the loops or straps I 8 to hold the sheet retaining unit in the binder.

One end of each bar I3 is turned inwardly, as indicated at I9, to facilitate longitudinal movement of the sheet retaining unit. An embossed stop member 20, positioned adjacent one end of the upper resilient bar I3, abuts the end of the wall II! of the channel member 5 when the tongues I2 are in engagement with the loops I8 to prevent accidental longitudinal movement of the sheet retaining unit with respect to the binder. When it is desired to remove the sheet retaining unit from the binder, the end of the bar I 3 is pressed inwardly to move the stop mem.- ber 25 out of the plane of the wall II) of the channel member. The stop member 2|] is duplicated on the opposite resilient bar I3 so that the sheet retaining unit may be reversed in the binder without losing the advantage of the stop member 20.

In the modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the single sheet retaining unit is replaced by a plurality of sheet retaining units of less capacity. In this embodiment the channel members 5' are secured to a strip 2| of leather or fabric by means of a plurality of prongs 22 struck out of the back wall of the channel member 5', as shown in Figure 5.

It is not deemed necessary to describe the structure of the modified form of sheet retaining unit in detail, inasmuch as it is substantially similar to the structure previously described. Because of the difference in size, the bars 23, corresponding to the bars I3 of the preferred embodiment, are provided with integral sheet retaining prongs 25. These prongs are not arched, as in the case of the prongs I4, because the number of sheets that may be carried by these individual units is not suflicient to necessitate curved prongs to allow the sheets to lie flat. The somewhat resilient bars 23 are each provided with a stop member 25, corresponding with the stop member 20, adjacent one end thereof. The operation of the modified form is exactly the same as that of the preferred form of binder previously described.

Although I have described preferred embodiments of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that many modifications or changes may be made in the structure described without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described, except as limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a channel member, a sheet retaining member receivable in said channel member, said channel member and said sheet retaining member each having a pair of upstanding side walls, a loop projecting from a side wall of one of said members, and a tongue on the adjacent side wall of said other member adapted to engage said loop to hold said sheet retaining member in said channel member.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a channel member, said channel member having a pair of upstanding side walls, a tongue integral with one of said side walls, a sheet retaining unit adapted to be contained in said channel member, and means on said sheet retaining unit engageable with said tongue to hold said sheet retaining unit in said channel member.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a channel member, the side walls of said channel member being recessed, a tongue projecting partially across each of said recesses, a sheet retaining unit, means projecting from said sheet retaining unit insertable in said recesses and engageable with said tongues to hold said sheet retaining unit in said channel member.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a channel member, the side walls of said channel member being recessed, a sheet retaining member having integral loops adapted to be received in said recesses, a tongue projecting into each of said recesses and engageable with said loops, and means on said sheet retaining unit engageable with one end of said channel member to prevent accidental separation of said tongues and loops.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a channel member, the side walls of said channel member being recessed, a sheet retaining unit, projections extending outwardly from said sheet retaining unit, said sheet retaining unit being slidable in said channel member when said projections are positioned in said recesses, and means on said channel member engageable with said projections to hold said sheet retaining unit in said channel member.

6. In a loose leaf binder, a channel member, the side Walls of said channel being recessed, a sheet retaining unit provided with projections, said sheet retaining unit being slidable in said channel member with said projections positioned in said recesses, and means to prevent accidental sliding movement of said sheet retaining unit.

'7. A loose leaf binder comprising a back sec tion, a plurality of channel members secured to said back section, each of said channel members having recessed side walls and being adapted to receive a sheet retaining unit, said sheet retaining units having projections entering said recesses, and. means on said channel members cooperating with said projections to retain said sheet retaining units in said channel members.

FRED D. WEDGE. 

